NCERT Class 11 Home Science Nutrition health and well being

NUTIRITION HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter the learner is able to–

• describe the nutritional needs of children at different  stages  of  development.

• make suggestions for planning balanced meals for children

• discuss food habits of children.

• identify important health and nutrition related problems of children.

• describe the  immunisation  schedule.

12.1 INTRODUCTION

Do you remember learning about food and nutrition in Chapter 5?  You  also learnt about aspects of survival, growth and development of children  in the previous chapter? Let us go over some important points again, briefly. Our diet is made up of the foods we eat. Nutrition is “food at work”, a process by which we obtain nutrients and  metabolise  them for growth,  repair and well-being. When we talk of nutrition we need to understand the   composition of foods and to know which food provides what nutrients. Let us now focus on nutrition, health and well-being of children. Children grow continuously and so their nutritional needs depend  on  their rate of growth, body weight, and on how effectively the nutrients are  utilized  at each stage of their development. Since physical and mental   development takes place very rapidly in children, nutritional deficiency   at this stage can result in lifelong impairments   and   disabilities . On   the   other hand, adequate nutrition ensures that the children grow to   their   full potential. We, therefore, need to understand the art of balancing   their   food intake while enjoying variety of foods from all the food groups. It is generally believed that good nutrition is reflected in height and weight gained by children, but effectively it improves and maintains their well being in totality. Adequate nutrition contributes towards

• functions of the organs and systems of the body.

• cognitive performance.

• body’s ability to fight diseases and restore healing.

• increase in energy levels.

• develop pleasant and positive attitude.

!"." Nutrition, Health and Well-being During Infancy (birth-!" months)

Infancy is marked by rapid growth; and changes especially during early infancy (birth–6 months) are phenomenal. In fact, it is known that infants require twice as many calories per kg of body weight as required by an adult doing heavy work. It is possible to fulfil this requirement through adequate nutrition. Besides energy, children should get:

Protein - For rapid skeletal and muscular growth.

Calcium - For rapid calcification of bones.

Iron - For growth and expansion of blood volume

DID YOU KNOW?• Weight–doubles in 6 months,triples in 1 year

• Length—50-55cm at birth increases to 75 cm by 1 year

• Head circumference and chest circumference both increase.

Dietary requirements of infants

Infants are able to regulate their needs by consuming more milk or less milk. Their nutritional requirements are met through the composition of breast milk and contributions from complementary foods given to them. The recommended nutrients are computed on the basis of composition of mother’s milk. An average secretion of 850 ml of breast milk of a wellnourished mother should provide all the nutrients for the first 4–6 months. The baby thrives well if the mother is well nourished. She must, therefore, eat a diet rich in protein, calcium and iron and consume adequate quantities of fluids like milk, soups, fruit juices, and even water to avoid malnutrition.

The recommended nutrients are computed on the basis of compositionof mother’s milk. An average secretion of 850 ml of breast milk of a wellnourished mother should provide all the nutrients for the first 4–6 months. The baby thrives well if the mother is well nourished. She must, therefore, eat a diet rich in protein, calcium and iron and consume adequate

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